Symposium at Princeton focuses on higher education among black Americans

Posted February 25, 2010; 01:55 p.m.

by Staff

A symposium designed to highlight important developments and achievements of black people in America will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 6, at the Friend Center on the Princeton University campus. The event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.

The event, titled "A Legacy of Learning: Blacks in High Education," will feature talks on a range of issues facing the black community, as well as distinguished speakers, graduate student presentations and a panel exploring issues related to the recent earthquake in Haiti. Princeton University's Graduate School Office of Academic Affairs and Diversity is sponsoring the event in partnership with the Black Graduate Student Caucus in honor of Black History Month.

"This symposium provides a unique forum to interrogate, engage and explore the importance of education and what education has meant in historical terms for people of the African Diaspora," said Karen Jackson-Weaver, associate dean of academic affairs and diversity in the Graduate School. "Given the exceptional caliber of the speakers and presenters, our goal is for the event to make an invaluable contribution to the University's rich intellectual legacy," "We are thrilled that this symposium will provide an opportunity to gain a clearer understanding and appreciation of the rich contributions Americans of African descent have consistently made to American society."

Members of the public interested in attending the symposium must register online at http://princetonbhs.eventbrite.com. [**Members of the news media who wish to attend the event must e-mail Jessica Brown at jb4@princeton.edu no later than Thursday, March 4.]

Speakers at the symposium will include: William E. Cox, president and CEO of the magazine Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and president, CEO and co-founder of Cox, Matthews & Associates consulting group; Hugh Price, the John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs & Co. Visiting Professor and lecturer in public affairs at Princeton, and former president and CEO of the National Urban League; and Linda Coles-Kauffman, executive producer and host of New Jersey Network's "Another View" television show.

"We are excited about hosting this symposium in honor of Black History Month because it provides us with an opportunity to critically engage a topic of the utmost importance: education," said Justene Hill, a graduate student in the Department of History and symposium co-organizer. "In bringing together graduate students, members of the community, faculty members and administrators to Princeton, we look forward to having productive conversations concerning people of African decent in the academy."

"This symposium aims to provide a forum to highlight important developments, achievements, and challenges facing the Black community," said Taniecea Arceneaux, a doctoral candidate in the Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics and symposium co-organizer. "Additionally, it provides graduate students in all disciplines with a unique opportunity to showcase their work and interact with their peers in a scholarly environment. This symposium is an important homage to the past, present and future of the Black experience."

Lectures, panels and student presentations will take place at the Friend Center in rooms 4, 6, 8, 101, 108 and 109. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for registered attendees.

An admissions information session for prospective students interested in masters and doctoral programs at Princeton's Graduate School also will be held at 9 a.m. in the Friend Center Convocation Room.